Law firm steps into help St Asaph bowling club after fire

The "foolish vandalism" was carried out in broad daylight at St Asaph Bowling Green on Saturday, November 4.

Two youths set fire to the wooden viewing shelter. It was destroyed and the heat from the blaze melted the surround to the bowling green, which was also badly scorched.

The fire was seen by Janette Barton, a legal assistant at solicitors Swayne Johnson, whose head office is just up the road in St Asaph High Street.

She and her partner, Gareth Tibbetts, were in their car when they saw smoke billowing from the burning shelter at the bowls club at the foot of High Street.

The viewing shelter was destroyed (Image: Aaran Lennox)
Janette said: “I videoed it as we drove past. The fire engines had just got there and it had gone up in smoke.

“My partner is a keen bowler so we were particularly interested and when we heard about the damage caused it was posted on a group chat and the fire was mentioned.

“The club need over £3,000 to make good the damage and the firm agreed to make a donation.”

The club has more than 60 members.

Nick Thomson, secretary, said: “The shelter was donated to the club by our president, Peter Hayes, and cost over £2,500 so we are looking at how we can restore it.

“It was a fire started by two youths and it just went up in flames. They were lucky they didn’t get injured themselves because there was a flammable tank nearby.

“The fire was so hot it melted the plastic surround around the bowling green and scorched the grass.

“It’s not the first time this sort of thing has happened. In 2017 someone set light to the clubhouse and it burned down.

“It’s very good of Swayne Johnson to come forward with this donation. I know they’re very involved in the community and it’s very generous of them.”

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Back in November, cllr Colin Hardie, mayor of St Asaph, called the blaze "extremely disappointing" and described it as "foolish vandalism".

He said: "Luckily, on this occasion the clubhouse itself has escaped with no fire damage but two viewing shelters were completely destroyed and also no one was injured.

"The club members, with the backing of the city council, work extremely hard to maintain this facility so that it is reputed to be one of the best in North Wales, the members must be totally devastated."

Cllr Peter Scott, deputy mayor, said at the time: "Luckily the clubhouse remained intact which is a small mercy at least."

Swayne Johnson, who have offices across North Wales and at Tattenhall, in Cheshire, set up their Charitable Trust to provide a pathway for local organisations and good causes to apply for funding.

Gareth Davies, Swayne Johnson Director of Administration, said: “We’ve been delighted to help St Asaph Bowling Club which is situated in a lovely spot in the centre of the city.

“We have a strong tradition of supporting local charities and organisations and we set up the Swayne Johnson Charity Fund to make it easier for applications to be made to us for help but members of staff are welcome to suggest good causes as well and that was what happened this time.

“The fund covers North Wales and Cheshire and it has worked very well and we have helped many recipients and are always happy to receive enquiries.”